Antigone Rising - 23 Red

Antigone Rising – 23 Red
2011, Rising Shine Records

Changing your lead singer is always a touchy subject.  No matter who you choose, someone is bound to be unhappy.  Either the new vocalist sounds nothing like the original, or they sound too much alike, or some other real or imagined shortcoming that often fits more fully on the vanity of the fans than that of the band.  This is the challenge that faced Antigone Rising in 2008.  A hiatus proved unsatisfying, so the band set out to find a new singer.  What they have found in Nini Camps is the catalyst that might take them from being long-time Indie rock darlings to the upper reaches of the musical stratosphere.  The band’s recently released album, 23 Red, is their freshest and most sonically appealing work of their career.

23 Red opens with “No Remedy”, using an amplified acoustic pop/rock sound and an absolutely unforgettable chorus to get your feet moving.  This song has hit written all over it, and it’s not the only one on the album.  “Everywhere Is Home” is a mild, country-flavored love song.  This is the first single from the album, and promises to have Antigone Rising threatening ascent on the pop, country and Indie charts.  The ladies of Antigone Rising sing like angels when they put their voices together, a point exclaimed here in brilliant sound.  “Borrowed Time” is a sweet ballad, draped in poignant poetry that explores the need to do all we can with the time we have.    The harmonic convergence continues on “One Foot In”, a pure Americana blend of rock and country that is aurally appealing and fun.

“Gracefully” and “Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring” show off Antigone Rising’s penchant for great melodies, first as an emotionally full  and layered ballad, then as a country, bordering on honky-tonk romp.  In the course of two songs Antigone Rising moves from a blue fatalism to a red, grab life by the horns transition that is dizzying and fun.  The energy here is amazing.  “Pink Sunglasses” is a dreamer’s anthem about finding the place and time that enables you to feel like you can do anything.  In this case it’s a quirky accessory, but the song is well-written and honest in its intentions. 

“Breaking Me” is sonically gorgeous, although the energy is a bit stagnant at times.  This one is more of an aesthetic rumination than an impassioned plea, but the dark undertone fills it with a quiet urgency that’s undeniable.  “You Say You Want To Leave” is a classic relationship nexus song; He wants to leave and she doesn’t want him to.  She’s going out of her way to let him know it’s okay if he goes, while telling quietly underneath it’s not.  23 Red bows with “Goodbye”, coming full circle with the country/Americana blend Antigone Rising started with.  “Goodbye” could almost be a second take on the theme of “You Say You Want To Leave”, but from a better place.  Either way, it’s a pretty tune that satisfies the aesthetic muse of the band while retaining an emotional intelligence that is refreshing.

23 Red is one of those albums that gets you right from the start.  From the sweet lead vocals of Nini Camps to the irrepressible pop hooks and gorgeous four-part harmonies, Antigone Rising wraps listeners up in a blanket of sound while engaging listens on intellectual and emotional levels not often found in today’s pop song writers.  23 Red is going to be on a lot of year-end favorite lists and a nomination or two would not be unwarranted.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Antigone Rising at www.antigonerising.com or www.myspace.com/antigonerising.  23 Red is available from Amazon.com as CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

Alice Ripley - Daily Practice, Volume 1

Alice Ripley - Daily Practice, Volume 1
2011, Sh-K-Boom Records

TONY winner Alice Ripley has been acting on and off Broadway for twenty years, as well as recording albums and gigging with her band Ripley and creating works on canvas and in mixed media.  As an artist whose creative energies seem to have no end, Ripley often uses one art form to balance off another.  So it was in 2009, when Ripley played conjoined twin Diana in Next To Normal.  Aside from earning Ripley a TONY for best actress in a musical as well as a Helen Hayes award, Next To Normal left Ripley with another legacy.  Each night Ripley would return to her hotel room and recover from the emotional weight of her performance by singing some of her favorite songs while accompanying herself on acoustic guitar.   These impromptu therapy sessions were memorialized on the album Daily Practice, Volume 1, released earlier this year on Sh-K-Boom Records.

Daily Practice, Volume 1 is raw and unvarnished, featuring Alice Ripley in an almost manic performance state.  The result is unsettling at times, striking at others, and throughout is underscored by the emotional complexities and beauties of the human condition.  Ripley opens with Carole King's "It's Too Late".  This is one of the mellower offerings on the album, but Ripley's vocal performance is impassioned and full of emotion.   "Message In A Bottle" is halting and uncertain at times.  While the original version by the Police seems to focus more on the hope for salvation, Ripley's version seems more focused on the desolation and hopelessness of the narrator's position.  The performance is striking and raw, delivered in the uncomfortable tones of someone who doesn't know what to do next.

"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" is played straight to the letter, but misses the soaring feel of the original in a workman-like performance.  Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know" is slowed down a bit, with Alice Ripley all over the place vocally.  Ripley seems to relish the emotional outbursts of the song, articulating representatives of the FCC's seven deadly words with particular fervor.  "Essence" (Lucinda Williams) displays a particular vulnerability; the emotional charge in Ripley's voice is palpable and real. 

Ripley goes all out for Bruce Springsteen's "Thunder Road", capturing the gritty honesty of Springsteen's writing style perfectly.  The sense of hope and joy amidst a dreary world is compelling.  Nanci Griffith's "The Flyer" drips with the loneliness of the road, staying true to the original.  Ripley takes on The Eagles' "Take It Easy" in halting fashion.  It's a solid cover, but doesn't have the carefree feel of the original.  Ripley takes a fair shot at R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts", but sounds overwrought.  The whiney, self-involved nature of the song and the heaviness of Ripley's voice just don't make for a great mix.  Ripley closes on sound footing with a solid cover of Carly Simon's "Anticipation".

Cover albums are always fraught with difficulties for fans and critics alike, but Daily Practice, Volume 1 is not your typical cover album.  The ten songs collected here represent a daily process of catharsis that allowed Ripley to maintain her balance during one of the most trying roles of her career.  The unvarnished nature of the album will give some listeners pause.  This is Alice Ripley, warts and all.  Most artists would never have the audacity to release recording in such a raw state.  From a purely aesthetic standpoint, Daily Practice, Volume 1is raw and unsettling.  Put into perspective, it becomes a statement of freedom, and of that particular beauty that grows from human imperfection and perseverance.  Daily Practice, Volume 1 comes straight from the heart.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

 Alice Ripley's web presence is fleeting and hard to find.  Her blog, aliceripleylinkup.blogspot.com has not been updated in a while, but you can pick up some good information about her there.  The site for her band, Ripley, www.myspace.com/ripleytheband has also not been updated in a while.  Luckily, Daily Practice, Volume 1 is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

JD Pederson – It Seems Like Only Yesterday

JD Pederson – It Seems Like Only Yesterday
2010, JD Pederson

Every singer/songwriter is a sum of his or her influences.  For JD Pederson those influences are solid ones.  Whether it’s the San Francisco sound of Boz Scaggs and Tower Of Power, or the style of artists such as The Eagles, Jackson Browne and Van Morrison, Pederson has developed a strong personal style based in classic sounds.  What makes Pederson special is that he’s taken these roots and catalyzed them into something new and unpredictable.  It’s there in Pederson’s live shows; you never know what he might come up with next.    You’ll find the same feel to Pederson’s debut album, It Seems Like Only Yesterday.

Pederson opens with “We Go Way Back”, inhabiting the space between country and rock n roll with an easy-listening mien.  It’s a song of reminiscence with a nice melody, and shows off Pederson’s easy-going voice in style.  “My Favorite Sunset” is a vaguely saccharine ballad that captures a moment in song.  Pederson injects an island feel into the song, and in spite of the slightly trite feel you’ll leave with the impression that such things are born of true emotion rather than a cynical attempt to inspire feeling.  “Learn The Dance” is all about growing up and taking responsibility for yourself.  Pederson exhorts listeners to dig into life and take what it has to offer; an anthem to personal responsibility with a dose of carpe diem thrown in.

“Call Me” finds Pederson sounding a lot like Ezra Idlet of Trout Fishing In America.  It’s a down tempo love ballad that’s sorrowful, yet still somehow motivated by hope.  “Kiss & Tell” shows more energy; a catchy tune with a sense of mystery and remorse.  This is a sharp, clean arrangement with great guitar work that shows a slightly different dimension to Pederson’s songwriting.  “Welcome To The Party” is a musical dissertation on graft, politics, and the internal machinery that keeps the political process out of the hands of the people it represents.  The observational style of songwriting shown here displays sharp and incisive lyrics with plenty of wit in a funky, blues-rock arrangement.  “No Good For You” is a dirty blend of rock and blues that’s highly enjoyable.  It’s a classic story in the first person about a friend waiting in the wings for his friend’s girlfriend to her eyes his way.  More than that, he’s actively working to put himself into position to steal her away.  The guitar work here is as filthy-good as the premise, and the song is full of delicious piano licks and fills.

“Peace Of Mind” is a bit simplistic and plain, but features some great guitar work and a decent melody.  The sound here is a bit too inside of itself; wanting to explode and be larger than life, but never quite gets there.  “The Sound Of Goodbye” is a flat, Adult/Contemporary Ballad.  The song itself is decent, but the production here misses the boat.  The vocals are too low, the piano too high, and the guitar solo is too far out in front.  This sounds more like a patchwork of musical parts thrown together in a slipshod manner than a cohesive piece of songwriting.  Pederson closes with “Headed Home”, once again involving a mismatch in the production booth.  Pederson’s pleasant but soft-spoken voice gets lost in the mix. 

JD Pederson’s It Seems Like Only Yesterday lives up to the classic singer/songwriter mantle it bears across the first seven songs.  Pederson shows a competency in lyrics and arranging that places him above the pack.  His gift for melody and creating a story environment in his songs is notable, and at times he rises to the crest of brilliance.  The last three tracks seem more like filler, and are a disappointing epilogue to what is otherwise a very strong effort.  It Seems Like Only Yesterday certainly will give listeners motivation to see what JD Pederson does next.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about J.D. Pederson at http://www.jdpederson.com/.  It Seems Like Only Yesterday is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available from iTunes.